Season of the Wolf by Jeffrey J. Mariotte : Review

When Alex Converse — rich, aspiring film-maker — arrives in Silver Gap, Colorado to make an environmentally themed documentary, he and his team get more than they bargained for when wolves start attacking; people are dying and women are disappearing.

Season of the Wolf tells the tale of Man versus Nature, and a town’s struggle for survival when nature decides to fight back. Told through the many perspectives of the townsfolk, readers are given a thoroughly fleshed-out picture of the events happening in Silver Gap, from murders and kidnapping, to the epic struggle to reclaim their lives, their town and their forest from an impossible pack of wolves which have a hunger for human flesh.

I did have a bit of difficulty, and it was confusing at times to try and keep track of who’s who, where they fit into the story due to the frequent POV changes. In spite of this, the story was interesting and engaging. Each character was dynamic and stood on their own, with realistic personalities and reacting in ways fitting to their situation.

Season of the Wolf is a very gory story, at times excessively so. It seemed to me that it rarely went more than a few pages without someone being brutally killed, or having a scene of grisly death and random body parts scattered haphazardly. This is something that I felt could have been toned down a few notches, but it is well-written, and does carries out consistently, setting an oppressive mood for the story — one of bleak, dark dismay. However, it’s both fast-paced and action packed; with shreds of light and moments of happiness which seem to illuminate the darkness. Season of the Wolf is full of twists that will surprise readers time and time again. With his rich use of description, Mariotte has created a story which will grab the attention of readers and will have them hooked until the very last page; hoping for the survival of characters that they will come to love, even when the odds are against them.

One thing I loved about Season of the Wolf, is well… the wolves. I’ve always loved wolves, and it’s sad that they’re hunted to the level that they’re no longer found in many of their native habitats. Global climate change, hunting, and the spread of urbanization has eradicated so many different species not just of wolves, but we’ve brought the population of wolves and other wildlife to levels of near-extinction. They’re all vital parts to ecosystems around the world, and not to mention, they are beautiful creatures, and they have every right to this world as we do. As a whole, we’ve become very good at destroying the habitats and lives of animals that we thought to be in the way of our own growth as a species. A message I feel that Mariotte gets across in Season of the Wolf and one that I agree with, is that we need to find a balance, and work for the preservation of life here on Earth. It’s the only planet we have, and we have to share it with each other, and with nature for our continued survival. (Mariotte shares this sentiment about wolves and says so much more elegantly than I do in his blog post, Save the Wolves.)

Season of the Wolf is a quick read, but it’s one that imparts an important message about the delicate balance between our actions and nature. Mariotte turns the tables, and shows us what it’s like to be among the hunted, not one of the hunters — having our safe havens invaded and taken away, friends and family killed and shown no mercy. It’s a great read, and while it doesn’t fit into my usual genre, I believe that any reader, whether they enjoy mystery, thrillers, fantasy or just fiction in general will find something in Season of the Wolf that will draw them in.

Season of the Wolf by Jeffrey J. Mariotte will be released February 26th 2013 by DarkFuse.

*Update: Season of the Wolf has been released early, and is now available from Amazon in paperback and kindle formats.*

I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.